media-380016.jpg FRE 1221 Second Lieutenant Donald A. Gaylord, a pilot of the 351st Bomb Group with the damaged fueselage of his B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-3532) nicknamed "Lucille Ball". Image stamped on reverse: 'Associated Press.' [stamp], 'Passed for Publication'16 Nov 1943.' [stamp] and '293129.' [Censor no.]. Printed caption on reverse: 'PILOT RISKS LIFE TO KEEP FLYING FORTRESS FROM CRASHING ON ENGLISH TOWN. It has just been disclosed that a 23-year-old American pilot 2nd Lt. Donald A Gaylord of Waterloo, IA, risked his life to keep his badly damaged Flying Fortress, "Lucille Ball" from crashing into the centre of Ipswich, England, as the bomber returned from an attack on Gelsenkirchen, on November 5. Crossing the coast of England the Fortress was flying on a single engine and at 3,000ft Gaylord ordered the crew to bail out. He then set the bomber on automatic pilot on a course which would take it out over the channel but the automatic pilot was unable to keep the ship in level flight and it started a dive for the centre of the city. Gaylord, however managed to pull the bomber out of its dive at 200ft and belly landed in a field on the outskirts of the city. Associated Press Photo Shows: 2nd Lt Donald A Gaylord, 23, of Waterloo, IA, who risked his life to prevent his badly-damaged Flying Fortress, "Lucille Ball", from crashing into the centre of Ipswich.' Handwritten on reverse: 'Photo posed some time after incident, other photo shows wood braces under a/c.' Roger Freeman Collection

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection